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Post-Game Talk: 1/23: Rangers visit the zoo

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Holy overreaction Batman! Seriously, it wasn't pretty but St. Louis is ~top 5 team in this league. The *****ing after the Isles game was fair.

It is frustrating though. 2 decades since we won our last Cup.
 
Machinehead said:
If you told me a month ago that we would hang right with the Blues I would've taken it. I understand being disgusted at the Isles loss. This is an overreaction.

In fact, I think it's just the Isles loss carrying over.
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It's also frustrating that they look like children against the big contenders. This game is like a clone of the Anaheim and LA games in MSG. Just getting owned physically and mentally. It's not for lack of trying I suppose, but god, you get the feeling the game is over after one goal.
 
We all got used to the Rangers winning, and losing (especially two in a row) doesn't sit well.

I look at that as a positive, but hopefully the sober rationalization after a loss stops here :nod:
 
I think Kreider had an awful game. I counted at least three times he flew down the wing just to pull up and try a drop pass at the blue line.

He's 6'3 225 and is one of the fastest guys in the NHL. He needs to put his head down and charge the net.
 
Matt4776 said:
I think Kreider had an awful game. I counted at least three times he flew down the wing just to pull up and try a drop pass at the blue line.

He's 6'3 225 and is one of the fastest guys in the NHL. He needs to put his head down and charge the net.
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Krieder needs a faster center imo.
 
Raspewtin said:
It's also frustrating that they look like children against the big contenders. This game is like a clone of the Anaheim and LA games in MSG. Just getting owned physically and mentally. It's not for lack of trying I suppose, but god, you get the feeling the game is over after one goal.
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We still need a big banger. That's obvious.

But I wouldn't say we got owned. They did next to nothing in the offensive zone just like we did.
 
With all the teeth-gnashing over this game, nobody has mentioned how soft the first goal was, and how the Rangers had many better scoring opportunities.

Thought they over-passed the puck too much, or looked for the perfect shot too much instead of putting it on net. Halak made some nice saves, was off-balance an awful lot. Maybe one reason their home record is pretty crappy is trying to be a slick-passing team on terrible home ice. On better ice, their passing works better, thus a good road record.

BTW, I thought John Moore looked much more comfortable and confident tonight, even if he holds the puck too long.
 
HatTrick Swayze said:
Well said. Maybe "soft" is the wrong word but in matchups like this they just have no answer and no way to win battles.
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Yup, and they can't even rely on the PP in these games since these teams are aggressive and pressure the puck on the PK. The Devils shut them down on the PP earlier this year and their PK is very similar to the Blues.

If the Rangers don't have the time and space to operate, they can't score. That doesn't bode well for the playoffs when things get tight. Winning board battles, using one's body to protect the puck, and getting in the right position around the crease to bang in rebounds or deflect the puck are all things they need to work on if they want to have any sort of playoff success.
 
OverTheCap said:
Yup, and they can't even rely on the PP in these games since these teams are aggressive and pressure the puck on the PK. The Devils shut them down on the PP earlier this year and their PK is very similar to the Blues.

If the Rangers don't have the time and space to operate, they can't score. That doesn't bode well for the playoffs when things get tight. Winning board battles, using one's body to protect the puck, and getting in the right position around the crease to bang in rebounds or deflect the puck are all things they need to work on if they want to have any sort of playoff success.
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This team is not built for the playoffs. Its too much of a work in progress atm. I'm pretty confident that they will get there though.
 
Rangers played an alright game. Might have been enough to beat most teams tonight.

The Blues are the very picture of a team that buys into the system, and knows how to win with it. I said in the GDT that the Blues have become what the Rangers were supposed to be before the Nash trade.

Physicality, pressure, board play, 1 on 1 battles. They won with effort and a system.

Normally, I'd hate a game like this. I'd have a nice tirade about how lazy and heartless the team has become, and that AV was an awful choice for a coach, how the complete lack of accountability has lead to our players being as weak on the puck and prone to giveaways as any team in the league. I'd rant about how stupid man-defense is, and that someone needs to tell Nash and Kreider that scoring goals doesn't mean that you get to forget what defense is and take penalties every game.

But St. Louis flat out won a hockey game tonight. We didn't make it too hard on them, but they deserved the win.
 
Blueshirt Believer said:
I don't think there is anything to be done about the third line.

Our best line right now is the Zuc line. Its the most consistent and the players have the most chemistry. Bad move to break up that line even if they can't get on the score sheet once and a while.

First line's weak spot is Stepan(who should be slotted in a second line role ideally)but we don't have anyone to replace him with on that line. Richards doesn't have enough physicality or skating(neither does Step) to really compliment Krieder/Nash. Rangers need to look out for a first line center in the off season...fun.

Third line is what it is. Richards, who isn't going to be here next year, doesn't mesh with Cally and doesn't have the speed to keep up with Hags. Hags/Cally don't have the offensive hockey IQ to play Richard's game.

Only way your going to improve the third line is through trades and its not really worth it because Richards is gone next year. They need to trade Cally simply for value and retool the third line next season.
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Stepan complemented Nash and Hagelin excellently last season, and Hagelin is as fast if not faster than Kreider. Not to mention the chemistry he had with Gaborik before that. I'm a little sick of this Stepan is not/cannot be a first line center, is a great second line center thing. It seems silly to me, like we're talking about video game roster construction rather than real life. Stepan is perfectly capapble of centering a top line. He plays in every situation against the opponents' best players, he plays the powerplay, is an excellent penalty killer, has good hands, great vision, and can skate well enough to stay with the play, and is smart enough to usually be in good position so that he doesn't have to catch up to anything. He's not having a good year, but seriously, at least explain what the difference between first and second line center is because I don't really understand this pigeonholding of Stepan as a "second line center."
 
Jesus we weren't great but we lost 2-1 against a top 5 team in the league coming off an ass kicking. Can we stop with the melodramatic ******** like we lost 5-0. I missed the first period, but St. Louis didn't get many more good chances than us, they just made us pay. Game could have gone either way.
 
Matt4776 said:
I think Kreider had an awful game. I counted at least three times he flew down the wing just to pull up and try a drop pass at the blue line.

He's 6'3 225 and is one of the fastest guys in the NHL. He needs to put his head down and charge the net.
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He wasn't the same after he was fed the butt end of Backes' stick after he hit the post, in front of the referee. The team is ultra-soft. No pushback. They were abused all night with no response.
 
TheDirtyH said:
Stepan complemented Nash and Hagelin excellently last season, and Hagelin is as fast if not faster than Kreider. Not to mention the chemistry he had with Gaborik before that. I'm a little sick of this Stepan is not/cannot be a first line center, is a great second line center thing. It seems silly to me, like we're talking about video game roster construction rather than real life. Stepan is perfectly capapble of centering a top line. He plays in every situation against the opponents' best players, he plays the powerplay, is an excellent penalty killer, has good hands, great vision, and can skate well enough to stay with the play, and is smart enough to usually be in good position so that he doesn't have to catch up to anything. He's not having a good year, but seriously, at least explain what the difference between first and second line center is because I don't really understand this pigeonholding of Stepan as a "second line center."
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In Stepan's case? Athleticism. He doesn't have it. He has the think speed(most of the time..he does suffer from indecisiveness at times). Thats what holding him back. His lack of skating is fine against lesser defensive pairings but against top units he is going to get exposed.

Nash/Krieder opens up plenty of space but steps poor skating never allows him to take advantage of it.

Thats also not taking into account his poor performances in the playoffs. But, I'm not going to hold him to the fire on that one considering I think he has been slotted over his head.
 
Decent game against a SC contender.

The Rangers lost the specialty team game 1-0. Thus the difference.

I believe Moore is simply a placeholder as the number 6 D. He has good speed, moves the puck quickly but seems to lose position at times. He is a no. 6 D so he shouldn't be the focus of attention unless he's on the ice when goals are scored against. With that said, he wasn't the problem tonite.

Klein was moved around but didn't look out of place very often.

Anyone remember that the Rangers have difficulty scoring 5 on 5? A shock...nothing has changed. The PP and Nash's streak is masking the problem but it's still there. Too little scoring will highlight defensive lapses and soft goals.
 
Blueshirt Believer said:
This team is not built for the playoffs. Its too much of a work in progress atm. I'm pretty confident that they will get there though.
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I agree, I think at best they may reach the second round. There are many fans who espouse the belief that "anything can happen," but I am just not seeing it. The roster construction is flawed and there are too many one-dimensional players on this team.
 
NYR2047 said:
I'm certain the teams that you describe would neuter most of the league
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Maybe so. The records of teams like Anaheim, St. Louis, Boston, LA, etc. certainly speak to that. Tonight was just another example of the Rangers not being cut out for that challenge, and not really on a path to do so either.
 
In no way I’m blaming the Refs for the lose. You just have to be that much better to win. I will always post when Mike Hasenfratz or Dean Morton Ref a game. I’ll remind everyone about the game in Chicago on 1-16-09. On that night, Hasenfratz and Morton called 12 penalties on the Rangers. How we won that game still amazes me. Tonight Hasencrap was teamed with Kyle Rehman. Rehman made all the calls except the hooking call on Stralman. Hasencrap stared right at Krieder when he was crushed behind the net with the butt end of the stick. When we got the PP at the end of the second period and when Zuc was crosschecked in the third, the calls were made by Rehman at the other end of the ice. Hasencrap was looking at each play. Which Mr. Hasenfratz will show the next time.
One more thing. Shattenkirk got tapped on the LEFT glove, acted like he was shot and 9 seconds later scored the game winner, He was shown shaking his RIGHT glove on the bench. The New Rochelle kid got away with it. Fooled Rehman. I can’t enjoy watching games, when this stuff goes on.
 
The teams seem to be so good.. blues kings ducks etc. It just seems that the west is going to dominate us for a long time... so it won't matter if we even make the playoffs...we won't win anything.. I say tank and build a team like the ducks
 
Can someone explain to me why everyone was so cheery when our D looked like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off the entire game against a last place and blew a 3-1 lead? Today we lost 2-1 to a top 5 team and compete hard but the other team plays very well defensively and people are up in arms? This place is ridiculous. Every ****ing post is an overreaction.
 
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